Sdech Krom Khun Sirivudh and an assassination plot against Samdech Hun Sen
A fter the terrible event of the assassination of the Israeli Prime Minister, who
is the winner of the Nobel Prize, on November 5, which caused the whole world to
reconsider the security protection for the leaders of their own countries. In Cambodia
where political stability has not existed 100 percent and while all political party
members who used to fight each other so far, have been mingled together, it has become
very difficult for them to safeguard the national security and social order. Robberies
and murders have happened nearly every week and have claimed the lives of hundreds
of innocent people.
Particularly, the political murders have still continued to happen after the formation
of the new government, such as the killing of newspaper editor Mr. Non Chan [editor-in-chief
of Voice of the Khmer Youth in 1994] near Wat Phnom.
There have also been some plots to assassinate politicians, but none have yet been
implemented.
Recently, Angkor Thmei has received information on a plot that a group of special
armed forces planned to attack and to assassinate the Second Prime Minister, Samdech
Hun Sen, but were effectively obstructed by Sdech Krom Khun Norodom Sirivudh, former
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Secretary General of
Funcinpec.
Sdech Krom Khun said that there was a group of special armed forces who had asked
permission from him in order to destroy the convoys of the vehicles escorting Samdech
Hun Sen. Their plot was as follows: The group of armed forces armed with B-40 rocket
launchers would ambush the convoy in between Samdech Hun Sen's house to Kraingyov
development area where Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen often travels in order to visit
people and to help them to develop the area. The special armed forces would shoot
at the vehicles suspected of containing the Second Prime Minister and they would
destroy both the vehicles and the bodyguards of the Second Prime Minister. They are
the groups who are unhappy with the CPP led by Samdech Hun Sen. Therefore, they expected
the plot to assassinate Mr. Hun Sen would "change the pages of history".
Sdech Krom Khun Norodom Sirivudh has also said that there are also high-ranking government
officials from those groups who want to assassinate Samdech Hun Sen in the Royal
Palace. They believe that, as they are high-ranking officials, no one would dare
to check their weapons before going into the Palace. So they would bring along guns
and place them in their vests. When they got close to the Second Prime Minister,
they would attack and shoot him right away in order "to change the pages of
history".
Angkor Thmei would like to apologize to Sdech Krom Khun Sirivudh for revealing the
above secret information contained in this excerpt of Sdech Krom Khun's speech, because
Angkor Thmei is absolutely against any plot to assassinate any person. It is the
most cowardly act.
In a statement of US President Bill Clinton as well as those of other leaders in
the world, such acts have been strongly condemned, especially the assassination of
the leaders of a country.
Angkor Thmei believes that this publication will be dangerous for us, because those
hidden forces will get very angry with us. In order to prevent such a danger, we
have informed our friends that if there will be any danger to any staff of Angkor
Thmei, names of persons who take responsibility of the above assassination plot will
be printed widely in all newspapers.
The attempt to assassinate Samdech Hun Sen reminds us of the event in August 1959
when the enemies of King Norodom Sihanouk could not do anything to change "Khmer
history pages", they decided to prepare a bomb attack against the King. Because
of the sacred things which always help the sacred persons, King Norodom Sihanouk
could escape from that cowardly plot. At that time, a hand grenade was exploded in
the Royal Palace and could only hurt Prince Vakryvan, head of Protocol of the Royal
Cabinet.
Angkor Thmei would like to take this opportunity to express our great and deep appreciation
for Sdech Krom Khun Norodom Sirivudh who could obstruct this assassination attempt
because if he was still angry with Samdech Hun Sen and offered the "green light"
to those groups, such a horrible assassination attempt could really occur, whether
it would be successful or not.
The Angkor Thmei News would like to respectfully suggest that the King, who hates
and who used to be the victim of such a most cowardly assassination attempt, grant
his Royal advice to the masterminds not to have any problems solved through such
an assassination of the leaders of the country.
The assassination of the Israeli Prime Minister in the bitter model of the history
of over 47 years is giving a very practical lesson to the Khmer people.
- (The above is a unofficial translation from the Angkor Thmei (New Angkor) newspaper
dated November 11, 1995.)
